Mimiko’s deputy governor dumps PDP, moves to APC less than 48 hours to election

Ondo state Deputy Governor, Ali Olanusi has defected from PDP to APC just two days to the general elcetions. He announced his defection this morning March 26th in Akure,the state capital.

Breaking! Germanwing co-pilot deliberately crashed the plane

According to breaking news report, the co pilot of the doomed Germanwing flight deliberately crashed the plane on March 24th, this is according the chief investigator. He said the Chief pilot asked the co-pilot to take over the controls of the plane so he could go ease himself.
While alone, the co-pilot manipulated the aircraft's descent. He used a button to cause the plane to crash. The co-pilot has been identified as 28 year old Andreas Lubitz.

Murdered STV staff Aishat Mustapha buried

The remains of Aishat Noble-Mustapha, a staff of Silverbird group who was murdered close to her Ogudu residence by yet to be identified person/s on Saturday March 14th was buried yesterday March 25th.
Family and friends gathered at the Atan cemetery in Yaba,Lagos to bid her farewell.

Meanwhile the autopsy conducted on her corpse showed that she was not pregnant
as at the time of her death and that she died from internal bleeding. The police say despite her burial, investigations into her death will still continue.

Protesters storm INEC office in Ogun over PVCs

Scores of protesters from three local government areas in Ogun State on Wednesday stormed the state headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission in Abeokuta over their inability to get Permanent Voter Cards.

The protesters who marched from the NNPC Junction in Abiola Way to INEC office, which is about 300 kilometres, came from the Yewa North, Abeokuta South and Abeokuta North local government areas.

Leading the protesters, a medical doctor and a three-time former commissioner in the state, Mr. Isiak Salako, said over 60,000 registered voters from the three local government areas might be disefranchised if they did not get their PVCs before the election on Saturday.

He said many of them registered in 2011, while some did in 2014, adding that they only had their Temporary Voter Cards, which did not qualify them to vote on Saturday and April 11.

He said, “I have come here with my people from the Yewa North and Abeokuta North and Abeokuta South local government areas.

“Over 60,000 of us have been denied our constitutional rights to vote for the candidate of our choice in the forthcoming elections by not having our Permanent Voter Cards.

“INEC has insisted that anybody who does not have a Permanent Voter Card will not be allowed to vote. This is my own Temporary Voter Card collected in 2011. Up till today (Wednesday) we have not seen our PVCs.”

Salako said the last resort for them, if eventually they did not get their PVCs before Saturday, was to go to court.

“We are not going to prevent anybody from doing his duty. But if any organisation is preventing us from performing our responsibilities, then we also have the responsibility to go to court.”

Another politician, Lanre Jaji, from the Abeokuta North Local Government, said INEC “must do something about the isue urgently.”

However, the head of General Administration and Procurement, INEC, Ogun State, Mr. Olatoye Olufemi, said the commission was working to ensure that all registered voters get their PVCs.

He said a member of staff was still in Abuja waiting for remaining consignment for the state.

He said, “At the moment, we have sent our official to Abuja to collect outstanding PVCs. But let me tell you that at this moment, the commission in Ogun State has been able to distribute over 70 per cent of the total number of PVCs received from Abuja, but we are still expecting more.”

Olufemi said the commission was still distributing PVCs in all the local government areas of the state.

Meanwhile, as of 5.07pm on Wednesday the state was still expecting the balance of 153,185 PVCs from Abuja.

The total registered voters in Ogun State are 1,795,794, while the total number received from Abuja so far is 1,642,607.

The total number distributed is 1,136,003, and the number that remained uncollected is 506,604.

Pilot locked out of cockpit before Germanwings plane crash

Investigators trying to determine what caused the crash of Germanwings Flight 9525 have made a startling discovery in an audio recording, according to a New York Times report: One of the plane’s pilots was locked out of the cockpit before the crash.

“You can hear he is trying to smash the door down,” a senior military official involved in the investigation told the newspaper, describing audio from the cockpit voice recorder, one of the plane’s black boxes.

“We don’t know yet the reason why one of the guys went out,” the official said, according to the Times’ report. “But what is sure is that at the very end of the flight, the other pilot is alone and does not open the door.”

Lufthansa, the parent company of Germanwings, said it was looking into the report.

“We have no information from the bodies investigating the incident that would corroborate the report in the New York Times,” spokesman Boris Ogursky said. “We will not participate in speculation, but we will follow up on the matter.”

The Times’ report is a “terribly shocking revelation,” CNN aviation analyst Peter Goelz said. But he and other experts cautioned that it’s still unclear what could have been going on inside the cockpit.

Possibilities range from a medical emergency to something more nefarious, like a suicide mission, CNN aviation analysts said.

Officials previously said that hadn’t ruled out terrorism, but it seems unlikely.

French authorities revealed earlier Wednesday that they’d been able to access audio from the recorder, even though its external casing was damaged.

But they disclosed few details about what the recording actually contained, saying only that there was one audio channel with voices on it that went all the way up to the time of the crash.

“It is too early to draw conclusions to what happened,” said Remi Jouty, head of the BEA, the French aviation investigative arm leading the probe. “There is going to be detailed work performed on that audio file to understand and interpret the sounds and the voices that can be heard.”

Finding the plane’s second black box will also be critical to understanding the mystery of what went on inside the jet.

That box, the flight data recorder, hasn’t been found yet, but Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr said Wednesday that there’s a high probability it will be.

World’s healthiest foods

According to several sources and surveys in North America and Western Europe, the following 10 foods are considered overall to be the healthiest.

Apples: Apples are an excellent source of antioxidants, which combat free radicals. Free radicals are damaging substances generated in the body that cause undesirable changes and are involved in the ageing process and some diseases.

Some animal studies have found that an antioxidant found in apples (polyphenols) might extend lifespans. Tests on fruit flies found that polyphenols also help them to preserve their ability to walk, climb and move about. Another study found that adult females who regularly ate apples had a 13 per cent to 22 per cent lower risk of developing heart disease.

Sweet potatoes: They are rich in dietary fibre, beta carotene, complex carbohydrates, vitamin C, vitamin B6, as well as carotene (the pink, yellow ones). The Center for Science in the Public Interest, USA, compared the nutritional value of sweet potatoes to other vegetables. The sweet potato ranked number one, when vitamins A and C, iron, calcium, protein and complex carbohydrates were considered.

Eggs: Egg yolks are home to tons of essential but hard-to-get nutrients, including choline, which is linked to lower rates of breast cancer (one yolk supplies 25 per cent of your daily need) and antioxidants that may help prevent macular degeneration and cataracts. Though many of us have shunned whole eggs because of their link to heart disease risk, there’s actually substantial evidence that for most of us, eggs are not harmful but healthy. People with heart disease should limit egg yolks to two a week, but the rest of us can have one whole egg daily; research shows it won’t raise your risk of heart attack or stroke. Make omelets with one whole egg and two whites, and watch cholesterol at other meals.

Jonathan, Buhari meet again, sign peace accord

Update:

The two leading candidates have signed another peace accord.

They signed the document under the supervision of Abdusalami shortly after emerging from a closed door meeting.

—————————————-

President Goodluck Jonathan is currently meeting behind closed doors with the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.).

The meeting brokered by the National Peace Committee for the 2015 General Elections, led by Gen. Abdusalami Abdusalami (retd.), is meant to extract commitment from the leading candidates that the forthcoming elections will be violence-free.

The two candidates may sign another peace accord at the end of the meeting.

They were accompanied to the meeting by the national chairmen of their parties

Chibok girls are in Gwoza, freed captive says

More than 200 girls who were abducted by Boko Haram from government secondary school, Chibok, Borno State, in April 2014 are in Gwoza, The Cable, an online medium, on Wednesday quoted Mbutu Papka, a woman who was recently freed after eight months in the sect’s captivity, to have said.

Papka, who made the revelation to the international centre for investigative reporting, said she was transferred from a poor condition in Mdita to a fairly tolerable facility in Gwoza where the abducted girls were being held.

She said, “In the camp at Gwoza, there were clear demarcations between where people were kept. The Chibok girls, other captives and Boko Haram members and their family members all had their separate areas secured, though the security in the area where the girls are kept is visibly different and much tighter.

“When we got to Gwoza, things changed because there were facilities there and the place was 10 times better than Mdita.

“We had a normal life in Gwoza, except the trauma of living in captivity. Whatever we wanted to eat, they were provided. They would bring water, firewood, etc., and leave them outside. They even provided perfume for anyone who requested for it.”

The 56-year-old woman added that no one was allowed anywhere near the specific location of the abducted girls, which was being guarded round the clock.

Papka was reportedly seized alongside many others when Boko Haram attacked Gwoza on July 4, 2014 and taken to Mdita, a remote village near the notorious Sambisa Forest, bordering Askira Uba and Damboa. She and many others, including children were kept in Mdita for five months before they were taken to Gwoza, where she was held for another three months before being released on March 15.

The woman said the facilities provided for them in Mdita were so poor that some captives died of ill health.

“There was a Redeemed Christian Church of God pastor who was killed during the attack on our village, and his wife was abducted with us. She died at Mdita due to the condition of the place and the death of her husband,” she said.

The pastor’s wife was said to have had diabetes and had been on a special diet, which could not be provided by the insurgents.

Though she said she could not speak for the abducted girls, Papka said she and the other women abducted were neither raped nor assaulted, saying the insurgents lived with their wives and children in the Gwoza camp.

When she was to be released by the sect on March 15, Papka was given a sick two-year-old boy who had been crying uncontrollably. She was driven home on a motorcycle and asked to pay N8, 000, which her family did.

PUNCH

Adorable photos of Naeto C's son looks just like him

Naeto C's son, Marobi, turned a year older today and his proud dad shared new photos of him. He's so cute

Syria rebels seize ancient town of Bosra al-Sham

Syrian rebels on Wednesday seized full control of the southern town of Bosra al-Sham, pushing pro-regime forces out after four days of heavy fighting, a monitor said.

“Rebels and Islamist fighters pushed out National Defence Forces and Popular Defence Committee militias who were defending Shiite districts of the town,” said Rami Abdel Rahman, director of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Around 50 percent of the town’s residents belong to Syria’s Shiite minority, according to the Observatory.

Bosra, which was once the capital of the Roman province of Arabia, was inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage list in 1980, and placed on the agency’s World Heritage in Danger list in 2013.

Abdel Rahman said there had been fighting near the town’s archeological zone, but it was unclear whether ruins had been damaged.

Bosra is in Syria’s southern Daraa province, where the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad began in March 2011.

The mixed Sunni-Shiite town lies on the main road between Daraa’s provincial capital and the city of Sweida, both of which are under regime control.

More than 215,000 people have been killed in Syria since the uprising began, and more than half of the country’s population has been displaced.

Buhari urges supporters to shun violence during election

Presidential candidate of the APC,  Muhammadu Buhari, has called on his party’s supporters to shun violence during and after the elections.

Buhari made the call on Tuesday in Bauchi at the North East Zonal Presidential Campaign Rally.

“I call on all the APC supporters in the zone to make sure that they remain peaceful on election day and refuse any intimidation to cause violence.

“You should make sure you have your permanent voter cards and vote for those you want to be your leaders,” he added.

The presidential candidate said he made the call because some people did not want the election to hold and were looking for any reason to stop it.

Also speaking at the rally, Gov Kashim Shettima of Borno urged the supporters to remain united and peaceful and vote massively for APC candidates in all the states within the zone.

Other speakers that included Gov Ibrahim Geidam of Yobe and governorship candidates from all the states within the zone.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the rally  attracted many party stalwarts from the zone including former Vice President  Atiku Abubakar.

He  promised that he would work towards the success of the party in all elections.

(UPDATE): Buhari’s eligibility suit suffers setback, adjourned to April 22

A Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday adjourned all the suits challenging the eligibility of the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari,‎ to contest in the poll slated for Saturday, till April 22 and 23.

It implies that no judicial pronouncement can be made in the suits before the conduct of the poll on Saturday.

Justice‎ Adeniyi Ademola after fixing the new dates for the suits, explained that his decision was informed by the court’s impending Easter holiday and judges’ conference that would follow.

The judge fixed the new dates without entertaining suggestions from lawyers to the parties.

The plaintiffs in all the three suits want the court to declare Buahari ineligible to contest in the election on the basis of his alleged failure to submit his certificate of academic qualifications along with his Form CF001 to the Independent National Electoral Commission.

The plaintiffs claim that Buhari’s failure to submit his certificate of academic qualifications contravened provisions of sections 131 and 318 of the 1999 Constitution and section 31(3) of the Electoral Act, 2010.

With three of the suits earlier struck on Tuesday, there are now three pending suits challenging Buhari’s eligibility to contest in the Saturday’s poll now pending before the court.

The judge fixed the new dates for the cases after he dismissed separate applications by two persons seeking to be joined as defendants in one of the suits.

The court in his ruling described the intending parties as “busy bodies an‎d meddlesome interlopers”.

‎The parties seeking to be joined and whose applications were dismissed on Wednesday were Chukwuma Ochu and Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa.

The particular suit, FHC/ABJ/CS/01/15, in which the court ruled on Wednesday was filed by Chukwunweike Okafor.

But Justice Ademola added that the ruling on both the intending parties’ applications to join the suit and adjournment woul‎d bind other pending suits challenging Buhari’s eligibility that are still pending in his court.

Buhari, APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission are the defendants in the suit and the other pending ones.

‎Okafor was represented by his lead counsel, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), while Chief Akin Olujnmi (SAN) represented Buhari, Mr. Sikiru Adewoye represented the APC and Mr. Hassan Liman represented the INEC.

The court had on Tuesday struck out three of such suits, one of which was  filed separately by Ayakeme Whiskey (FHC/ABJ/CS/68/15); and the two others filed by Friday Ojelaro (FHC/ABJ/CS/20/15 and FHC/ABJ/CS/3/2015).

The three suits were struck out because they were mere replica of one another and the remaining pending suits.

The pending suits which have now been adjourned till April 22 includes  the ones filed by Okafor. The others were filed by Ayakeme Whiskey (FHC/ABJ/CS/68/15) and Max Ozoaka (FHC/ABJ/CS/14/15).

Justice Ademola ruled on Wednesday  that he would hear the main suits together with the preliminary applications filed by the defendants on the next adjourned date.

Source: PUNCH

Photos From Damasak Where Boko Haram Unleashed Terror

Attached are pictures from Damasak where boko haram recently kidnapped over 400 villagers.

Rivers state PDP, APC & LP governorship candidates laugh & hold hands

Rivers state governorship candidates of PDP - Nyesom Wike, APC - Dakuku Peterside and Labor Party's Tonye Princewill photographed holding hands, talking and
laughing during the state's election debate on Monday

Love in the air photo of 22yr old Dominican marries a 72 year old American woman

He puts his lips on hers, closes his eyes and says to himself, you can do this, you can do this. Just a few more months...:-). Lol. Ole. Wishing her long life!

See what a billion naira worth wristwatch look like

This watch you are looking at cost a staggering $18million.Yes, you read it right. When you convert that to Naira, that's
about N3.6billion That's the billionaire tourbillon watch from Jacob and Co.

Nigeria Shuts All Borders Ahead Of Presidential Election

The Ministry of Interior Affairs has announced the closure of all land and sea borders ahead of Saturday’s presidential elections.

According to a statement released and signed by the Ministry’s permanent secretary, Abubakar Magaji, the closure takes effective from midnight today Wednesday March 25,to midnight Saturday, March 28.
The statement says the closure is “to allow for the peaceful conduct of the forthcoming national election”.

A directive has been given to the Immigration service to ensure that non Nigerians do not participate in the elections

Cech ready to leave Chelsea

Petr Cech says he will leave Chelsea at the end of the season rather than spend another year as Thibaut Courtois’ understudy, Sky Sports reports.

The 32-year-old Czech Republic international has started only four Premier League games this season after losing his place to the young Belgian and has been used primarily in domestic cup comptitions.

Cech, who moved to Stamford Bridge in 2004 and has won three Premier League titles, four FA Cups, the Champions League and three League Cups, has accepted Jose Mourinho’s decision to go with Courtois, but says the situation cannot go on indefinitely.

“I don’t know what the club’s idea will be. It looks like it works well with me and Thibaut as a duo,” he told the Idnes newspaper.

“But that can work for one season only. I don’t want another one like this.”

But Cech, who is currently with his national side ahead of a European qualifier against Latvia on Saturday, says he will put thoughts about his future to one side until the end of the season.

Simeone renews contract

Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone has agreed to extend his contract with the Spanish champions by three years to 2020.

The deal, announced on the Twitter feed of the champions, was widely expected although there was plenty of speculation a European rival could try to lure Simeone away from the club.

The former Argentina captain has transformed Atletico since taking over at the end of 2011, leading them to their first domestic league title in 18 years last term and putting them back among Europe’s elite.

Atletico won the Europa League at the end of Simeone’s debut season in charge and reached the final of the Champions League in 2013-14 where they lost 4-1 to Real Madrid after extra time.

They thrashed Chelsea 4-1 to claim the 2012 European Super Cup, won the King’s Cup a year later by beating Real in the final and defeated their neighbours over two legs to secure the Spanish Super Cup in August.

Healthy foods that can make you fat

Iced tea: Tea contains disease-fighting antioxidants and has been linked to improved heart health and reduced risk for dementia. However, drinking sweetened bottled tea may do your health more harm than good. These products are loaded with sugar, and one bottle may contain two or more servings. Brew your own iced tea and add sweetener gradually to taste; you’ll probably use less than you’d get from a bottle. Or, simply buy an unsweetened variety.

Veggie burgers: Veggie burgers have less fat and cholesterol than traditional beef patties. Like any burger, though, you can easily add 1,000 calories or more by piling on cheese, ketchup, and mayo on a huge bun. Go easy on the toppings.

Tofu: Tofu is packed with iron, calcium, and protein, and a half-cup raw contains just 94 calories. Problem is, it can also sponge up the oil you’re cooking with, turning your healthy meal into a fat bomb. Stick to just one tablespoon of oil when making a stir fry.

Salad: Think you’re making a smart choice by ordering a salad? You are, as long as you don’t load your leafy greens with shredded cheese, croutons, candied nuts, and creamy dressing. Doing that can easily make your meal even more fattening than having pizza for dinner. Cut down on add-ons and go easy on the dressing – even some vinaigrette can be high in calories.

Energy bar: Energy bars are loaded with sugar and carbohydrates and are high on the glycemic index. Eat one while sitting at your desk, and you’ll feel the sugar rush – and then the crash. Though energy bars aren’t ideal for everyday snacking, they come in handy when you’re exercising for longer than an hour.

Cereal: Starting your day with a bowl of cereal can give you a dose of whole grains, fibre, and protein – or it can load you up with sugar and sodium.

Dana Air commences daily flights to Owerri

Dana Air on Tuesday commenced daily flight activities to Owerri the Imo State capital, from the Murtala Mohammed Airport Lagos and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

The airline said that its decision to commence flight operation to the state followed its commitment to connecting as many states in Nigeria as possible.

The Chief Commercial Officer of the airline, Mr. Obialor Mbanuzuo, who spoke to our correspondent in Lagos, said the company was working with the objective of integrating major cities in Nigeria into its route network.

He emphasised that Dana Air was constantly reviewing its operations with a view to exceeding the high expectations of its guests.

He said, “Currently, we are servicing Port Harcourt, Abuja and Uyo, and due to the growing demand by our teeming customers and passengers, we believe that the Owerri, Imo State, is the next logical route to operate, and so on Tuesday, we began daily flights to Owerri from Abuja and Lagos.

“At Dana Air, we recognise the importance of Owerri in the socio-economic development of Nigeria and we are confident that our flight operations to the state will open more investment opportunities to the state.

“With this move, we are sure to open up more routes before the end of the year, but we do not want to do things in a hurry; we are carrying out necessary market research, listening to our passengers as well as considering our current equipment and facilities to be able to know the next action to take.”

Mbanuzuo also said that the decision to recommence operations into the state was hinged on the airline’s commitment to offer comfort and convenience to passengers in Owerri.

Speaking on its manpower programmes, the chief commercial officer said the airline was currently training both existing and new engineers in line with international standards to ensure that they were well-equipped.

B’Haram kidnaps 400 women in Damask

Boko Haram militants have kidnapped more than 400 women and children from the northern Nigerian town of Damasak that was freed this month by troops from Niger and Chad, Reuters quoted residents as saying on Tuesday.

There was no immediate official confirmation of the figure, but the Islamist group has previously carried out mass kidnappings. Boko Haram in April 2014 adopted over 200 schoolgirls in Chibok.

“They (insurgents) took 506 young women and children (in Damasak). They killed about 50 of them before leaving. We don’t know if they killed others after leaving, but they took the rest with them,” a trader called Souleymane Ali told Reuters in the town.

Troops of the African joint force last week found the bodies of at least 70 people in an apparent execution site under a bridge leading out of Damasak, where the streets remained strewn with debris and burnt-out cars after the fighting.

Obasanjo warns against plot to hand over to military

FORMER President Olusegun Obasanjo on Tuesday warned against handing over the reins of government to the military.

Obasanjo said the speculation that the government was planning an Interim Government had been substituted by speculations that President Goodluck Jonathan was plotting to hand over to the military. He said that doing so would undermine the integrity of the country.

The ex-President, while hosting Aisha Buhari, wife of the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, said, “I do hope we will get things more right. A lot of rumours are flying around; I think we have gone away from the rumour of Interim Government because that is not in our constitution.

“I hope we will soon go away from the rumour of handing over to the military because the military is not meant to run the affairs of a nation in terms of running government.”

Obasanjo, who said that he was happy that the country had gone beyond the Interim Government rumour, added that he hoped the nation would also survive the rumour of handing over to the military.

He said, “The international community will not condone it, particularly the African Union where we have a situation, we have said and it is part and parcel of the constituting Act of the African Union. Any government that is brought about not on the basis of the constitution will not be accepted; will not be tolerated and will not be a member of the AU until that government is dismantled.

“It shouldn’t be. We are the largest country in Africa; we should be a model, setting examples, we shouldn’t be drawing Africa backwards. I hope we will not. I hope at the end of this exercise, we would be where we should be, leading Africa and showing examples for the rest of Africa and indeed the rest of the world.

“We have the goodwill of many people. I watched last night, President (Barack) Obama talking about our constitution; I watched our Brother from Ghana, the current Chairman of ECOWAS talking about our constitution. They are all interested, they all wish us well; should we wish ourselves anything less?”

Recently, the former President had warned the current administration not to plunge this country into chaos by following the footsteps of the former President of Cote d’lvoire, Laurent Gbagbo, who refused to hand over to the winner of the presidential election in his country.

Obasanjo also bemoaned hate campaigns among politicians, advising that they should focus more on what united the country as opposed to what divided the country.

According to him, for anyone who is interested in the future of this country, issues of insecurity, economy and unemployment, among others, should form the focus of political campaigns.

He said, “Unfortunately, issues that should have been the main item of our campaign, they did not. We have serious issues of security, we have serious issue of our economy, we have issue of unemployment, particularly youth unemployment, we have serious issues of infrastructure.

“These are issues among others that I believe campaign of those who are interested in the present and the future of this country should be directed at.

“How are we going to get them and what are we going to do? Not trivial issues of certificate or no certificate, not trivial issues of somebody talking about someone is a Nigerian and not a Nigerian.

“I said it, this is what they had in Cote d’Ivoire and led them into almost a very serious problem, not issue of religion, not issue of tribe, not issue of section but issues of unity of this country and the hate campaigns that we have embarked upon now, I hope this will be the last time in the history of this country that we will have this type of campaign of hatred or division.”

Obasanjo commended Buhari’s wife, stressing that women had a role to play in politics and enthronement of good governance.

Punch 

Anxiety as judge adjourns suit to stop Buhari till today

There was anxiety in the camp of the All Progressives Congress on Tuesday as a Federal High Court in Abuja fixed Wednesday (today) for further proceedings in one of the suits challenging the eligibility of the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari(retd.), to contest in Saturday’s presidential election.

Justice Adeniyi Ademola is to rule on fresh applications by intended parties seeking to join the suits as defendants.

The judge fixed Wednesday (today) for the ruling after hearing the intended parties’ applications on Tuesday.

Those whose applications for joining the suit as defendants were heard on Tuesday are Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, Chukwuma Ochu, Sunusi Musa, Ahmed Maitarki and the Fiscal and Civil Rights Enlightenment Foundation.

The suit was filed on January 26, 2015 by a lawyer, Chukwunweike Okafor, asking the court to declare Buhari ineligible to contest the presidential election slated for Saturday over his (Buhari’s) alleged failure to submit his school certificate along with his Form CF001 to INEC.

The Plaintiff’s counsel, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), had in his objection to the applications of the intended defendants, described the applicants as interlopers.

The existing defendants in the suit are the Independent National Electoral Commission, Buhari and the APC.

Earlier on Tuesday, the judge ruled that he would hear both the main suit and Buhari’s preliminary applications challenging the court’s jurisdiction together.

The plaintiff, through his counsel, Ozekhome, insisted that both the main suit and the preliminary applications should be heard together.

But Buhari and the APC had urged the court to hear and determine their preliminary applications which bordered on the court’s jurisdiction first before entertaining the main suit.

The court agreed with the plaintiff and ruled that he would entertain the preliminary applications and the main suit together.

But when the suit will be heard depends on the outcome of the court’s ruling on the applications of intended parties in the suit.

Buhari and the APC had challenged the mode of service of the plaintiff’s originating summons on them, insisting that the issue bordered on the jurisdiction of the court.

Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), who is representing Buhari and Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), counsel for the APC, had while opposing the plaintiff’s prayer to quickly hear the suit, argued that there was no law stipulating that pre-election cases must be heard before the conduct of the elections.

There are about 10 suits instituted against Buhari’s eligibility to participate in the presidential election.

The plaintiff argued that failure of Buhari to submit his school certificate   to INEC contravened provisions of sections 131 and 318 of the 1999 Constitution and section 31(3) of the Electoral Act, 2010.

APC warns against disqualifying Buhari

Before the court’s sitting, the APC warned against any orchestrated and last-minute disqualification of   Buhari in order to pave the way for an easy victory for President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party.

The APC, through a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Lai Mohammed,   also cautioned against another postponement of the elections.

It said, ‘If it is true, as it is being widely speculated across the country, that the Jonathan administration has procured a judgment to disqualify the APC presidential candidate on Wednesday(today), when the Federal High Court in Abuja is expected to rule on the issue, then it portends a great danger for the nation.”

The party said in addition to other reasons, the six-week postponement of the elections might have been used by those who never wanted the polls to hold   to shop for such a “satanic judgment.”

The statement partly read, ‘’Anyone who will disqualify a presidential candidate on the eve of an election can only have one and only one purpose for that: to trigger chaos and pandemonium across the country.

“Perhaps, this is the reason for the deployment of troops across the country to crack down on possible protests and create confusion.

‘’Then, those who orchestrated the disqualification will simply use what they expect to be angry reactions nationwide as an excuse to postpone the elections again, thus triggering a constitutional crisis, the end of which no one can predict.

‘’This is why we are hoping that good reason will prevail and nothing will be done, deliberately, to plunge Nigeria into crisis by the same people who have always been quick to say their political ambition is not worth the blood of any Nigerian.’’

When contacted, the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the PDP,   Abdullahi Jalo, said, “By now, Nigerians have become accustomed to the antics of the opposition. I don’t think anybody takes them seriously any more.”

source:Punch 

Nigeria misses, as Ghana leads in 2014 WASSCE

The West African Examinations Council on Tuesday announced its International Excellence Award winners with three Ghanaians receiving the highly honoured academic prizes.

The trio emerged best scholars in the 2014 May/June West African Senior School Certificate Examination. They scored A1 in all their subjects.

However, 18-year-old Mickail Hasan, who attended the Ghana Secondary Technical School, Takoradi, emerged the overall best candidate, having scored a total grade of 682.0933 in eight subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.

The other two- Blaykyi Kenyah, a former pupil of the St Augustine’s College, Cape Coast, and Henry Archibad, formerly of the Mfantsipim School, Cape Coast, came second and third respectively.

For posting outstanding results, the leadership of the WAEC honoured the lads on Tuesday in Lagos as part of the council’s 63rd annual meeting.

By Hasan’s feat, he became the current holder of the esteemed award instituted by the council in 1984 to encourage academic excellence. Before Mickail, another Ghanaian, Miss Ivy Mannoh, was the holder of the title.

Ghanaians have topped the overall winners chart between 2008 and 2013.

Nigeria last topped the overall winners chart in 2007 with John Yusuf.

To be considered for the 31-year-old excellence award, a candidate must obtain Grade 1 in at least eight subjects, including English Language, Mathematics, one of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, Health Science and Integrated Science.

In addition, the candidate must obtain one subject from any of the three sub-categories of core subjects.

Meanwhile, Kenyah, 19, with WASSCE number 0030101316, obtained a total grade of 680.4287 in eight subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.

Also, Archibald, 18, with WASSCE number 0030104311, obtained a total grade of 676.9348 in eight subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.

S’Sudan extends term of president and parliament

South Sudan’s parliament has voted to extend its own term and that of President Salva Kiir by three years starting from July.

Last month, South Sudan called off the elections due in June and its cabinet asked the parliament to extend Kiir’s term.

The government had said it was necessary for stability amid an ongoing rebellion led by a former deputy president, Riek Machar.

The measure, passed by more than two-thirds of the MPs on Tuesday, also extends the tenure of the legislature, MP Thomas Kundu, who heads the parliament’s information committee, told the Associated Press.

“We believe these three years will give a chance for peace so that all of us prepare to conduct a census and after which we can conduct free and fair elections,” Kundu said.

However, the opposition condemned the measure, saying it was meant to keep Kiir firmly in power.

“It means the government wants to cling onto power,” said Onyoti Adigo, a member of the opposition in parliament who voted against the measure.

“The people were not consulted. That is why we are opposed to it.”

Thousands of people have been killed and more than a million have fled their homes since fighting between supporters of Kiir and Machar erupted in the world’s newest nation in December 2013.

Kiir, a member of the dominant Dinka ethnic group, tried to put down rebels led by Machar, who is of Nuer ethnicity.

Peace talks between Kiir and Machar have repeatedly failed. The fighting has often been along ethnic lines.

Court orders NCC, telecom firms to pay APC N500m

A Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the the Nigerian Communications Commission and five others to pay the All Progressives Congress N500m for unlawfully shutting down the party’s presidential campaign fund-raising platform.

Apart from NCC, the other judgment debtors are Etisalat, MTN Nigeria Limited, Globacom Limited, Airtel Nigeria Limited and Visafone Communications Limited.

Justice Ibrahim Buba gave the order on Tuesday in Lagos.

Khloe Kardashian steps out in another see-through leggins

Looks like this is the new trend...wear extra-small leggins so it stretches so thin they will become see-through... :-).
More photos

Rapper M.I Buys Himself A G- Wagon

He shared the photo of his new SUV on
instagram. Big congrats to him…

INEC Releases Statistics Of PVC Collected In All 36 States And FCT

Ahead of March 28, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC has released fresh information to show the rate of PVC collection in all states of the federation.Total PVC Collected by Each state with Kano as the Highest followed by Lagos Then Kaduna and Katsina

Abia                                      1,177,520
Adamawa                            1,381,571
Akwa Ibom                          1,587,566
Anambra                             1,658,967
Bauchi                                  1,778,380
BAyelsa                                   546,372
Benue                                    1,607,800
Borno                                    1,407,777
Cross River                             963,929
Delta                                      1,921,627
Ebonyi                                      848,392
Edo                                         1,218,734
Ekiti                                           511,790
Enugu                                     1,223,606
FCT                                             569,109
Gombe                                    1,069,635
Imo                                         1,707,449
Jigawa                                    1,756,320
Kaduna                                   3,174,519
Kano                                       4,112,039
Katsina                                   2,620,096
Kebbi                                      1,372,630
Kogi                                            926,013
Kwara                                        884,996
Lagos                                      3,767,647
Nasarawa                              1,048,053
Niger                                       1,682,058
Ogun                                           904,647
Ondo                                       1,110,844
Osun                                       1,030,051
Oyo                                         1,639,967
Plateu                                     1,508,585
Rivers                                     2,127,837
Sokoto                                    1,527,004
Taraba                                   1,270,889
Yobe                                          824,401
Zamfara                                 1,435,452

 Total PVC collected 56,431,255

See The Restriction Of Movement Issued By The Police On The Election Days

The press statement released by Nigeria Police Force:
As part of efforts to ensure adequate security in the forthcoming general elections across all the Federation on Saturday 28th March, 2015 and 11th April, 2015, the Inspector-General of Police,
IGP Suleiman Abba, CFR, NPM, NPOM, mni has ordered the restriction on vehicular movements as follows:

(i) Saturday 28th March, 2015, 8.00am-5.00pm only.

(ii) Saturday 11th April, 2015 8.00am – 5.00pm only

This total restriction of movements order applies to all, except for Ambulances, Fire service trucks and others on essential duties.Consequently, travellers and citizens who intend to use roads on these days and hours are advised to plan alternative times for their travelling.

While expressing his regrets over the
inconveniences that road users and the general public may encounter as a result of this restriction, the IGP appeals for the understanding and cooperation of the entire citizenry, as the restriction is done in the nation’s interest.

The IGP assures that adequate security logistics and manpower have been strategically deployed to achieve a most conducive electioneering atmosphere.

In this regard, Policemen for election duty have been properly trained, briefed and sensitized on their roles as stipulated in the Electoral Act.
They are expected to be professional, non-
partisan, civil but firm in their approach and relation to the public.

Meanwhile, citizens are enjoined to remain
vigilant and report all suspicious movements or dealings to appropriate

Police authority.
Ag. CP EMMANUEL C. S. OJUKWU, psc
FORCE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER,
FORCE HEADQUARTERS,
ABUJA